Our Travel Guide to Morocco

The Kingdom of Morocco is located in North Africa bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. It is an ethnically diverse country with a large Muslim majority of mainly Arab and Berber descent.

Getting There

Flying to Morocco is relatively easy with many major and budget airlines flying routes to Casablanca and Marrakech.

ImmigrationWorld.com outline the step by step process required to obtain a tourist visa if required.

Language

The official languages of Morocco are Arabic and Berber however due to the French colonial era many people speak some French, English is becoming more widely spread especially in the larger tourist cities.

We would advise downloading the Google Translate App to your smart phone with Arabic and French prior to travel. The App allows you to download languages for offline use and is available on both Apple and Android phones.

Knowing a few basic phrases in French may also help e.g. how much? (Combien?) and No thank you (Non, Merci)

Getting around

The train system is limited to the major towns but there are good quality buses to other destinations. Both the trains and the buses were modern, comfortable and air conditioned.

The ONCF train website has timetable and ticketing information. We were unable to buy tickets online or to use a bank or credit card to purchase tickets at the station in Marrakech. We purchased tickets the day before travel and had to do so with cash.

The CTM buses website has timetable information and appears that you can book your tickets on line however this is difficult without a Moroccan bank or credit card. We found it easier to purchase tickets at the station the day before we travelled. Buses to popular destinations such as Chefchaouen can be booked out. It is worth knowing exactly which bus trip you want to take and the price before you reach the station in Marrakech as you may be sold a tour rather than just the bus ticket, this happened to us on our trip to Ouarzazate.

Tours to the desert, mountains and other regions are best organised through your accomodation.

Petit taxis operate within the city limits of most of the tourist areas, ask your accomodation for the limit that they are able to charge e.g Marrakech 70 Dhs, Chefchaouen 20Dhs.

We did not drive whilst in Morocco but the road network is extensive and appears to be in good condition. Mowgli Adventures provide good information on road laws and what to expect if you choose to drive in Morocco.

Where to stay

There is accomodation available no matter what your budget is in Morocco.

AirBnB has numerous Riad’s and apartments available in the tourist cities like Marrakech, Fez and Chefchaouen.

Customs and Traditions

Whilst Morocco is a Muslim majority country it has a more relaxed dress code than some other countries however it is still best to dress modestly if you are visiting religious sites and in general very short skirts and crop tops will attract attention that women may not want.

For men it is acceptable to wear shorts and t-shirt style tops.

For women it is recommended that skirts or shorts are closer to knee length or longer. It is actually more comfortable in the heat and sun of Morocco to have sarongs, long flowing skirts or boho style pants.

If you are visiting religious sites a head scarf may be required and it is recommended to have one with you, they also make a good cover from the sun during the hotter hours.

Ramadan is the Islamic holy month of fasting, it changes each year in line with the cycle of the moon. It is best to check if Ramadan is going to occur during your trip as it may mean some restrictions. Whilst tourists are not expected to fast you may find that some restaurants are closed during the day especially in smaller towns. Although this will be unlikely in the larger tourist cities e.g. Marrakech, Fez, Casablanca.

It is however best to be respectful and not eat, smoke or drink in the street during the day, once the evening arrives though the food will be plentiful and delicious.

You may find it difficult to purchase alcohol during Ramadan.

Food and Drink

The water in Morocco is generally clean but can upset the digestive tracts of some people due to it’s high mineral levels. It is best to drink bottled water where possible but is fine for brushing your teeth etc.

A word of caution in some rural areas (e.g. Achkour Gorge and waterfalls) the water supply may not be as clean and it is not advisable not to drink water or tea in these areas. (We got a good dose of Clostridium Difficile, diarrhoea drinking mint tea here)

Food is generally of good quality and quite cheap if you avoid tourist areas like the nightly market in Marrakech. Always check the price for the meal before you sit down or you may find yourself paying 300 Dhs for a 60 Dhs meal. You can read about how we did this in our blog.

You may have read that purchasing alcohol is easy in Morocco, we certainly had before our trip this is not quite true. If you know where to go or are staying in a Western style hotel it may be easier. If you are staying in a Riad or local home it is best to check if alcohol may be consumed on the premises.

We purchased alcohol in the following cities, the blog will give you information on where you can go to buy a nice cold wine or beer:

If you like to drink wine, it is worth noting that the Moroccan Gris is very quaffable and after a long day site seeing in the heat is very refreshing. It is a French style Rose wine, quite dry.

Tips for dealing with unofficial guides, touts

Morocco is notorious for it’s tourist scams and unofficial guides and touts in the souks. We thought we were prepared and had done a lot of reading before we arrived and yet we still got caught out, this was especially true in the Marrakech and Fez medinas.

The tips we were given by those living and working in Morocco seemed best

Do not make eye contact with unofficial guides, touts trying to sell you something

ALWAYS check the price before agreeing to a tour, meal or taxi ride

In most cities the petit taxis have an upper limit they can charge e.g. 70 Dhs in Marrakech and can only operate in the city limits

Offical tour guides are registered with the government and will have identification visible

Hi Janine, thank you for getting in touch. Be sure to check out our other blogs on Morocco too, they have lots of tips and links that might be helpful. Give us a shout if you need any help with your planning and let us know how the trip goes. Happy Planning and Travels

Excellent guide and great tips on dealing with touts. I loved Morocco and we’re heading back to Marrrakech in September. Can’t avoid getting lost in the souks! I’ll check out your other posts on Morocco. 🙂

Hi Whodoldo, thank you for your comments, it was great to get local peoples input for our blog, it really helped with the touts. Be sure to click on the links in the our other articles as they have reliable information recommended to us by locals. Have a great trip in September, which cities will you visit? Happy Travels

Hi Jen, thank you for your comments and I hope you get to go to Morocco soon. We loved the ferry trip to Spain from Tangier, have you checked out our other blogs on Morocco, they have lots of tips, tricks and information for you too. Happy Travels

Hi Saumyata, I hope you can get there soon, it is a great place to travel. Make sure you check out our other blogs on our time in Morocco, they have lots of tips, links and information for you too. Happy Travels

Hi Farhaj, thank you for your comments, we think it is important that people are able to have as much information as possible when travelling, it lessens the stress of a new country for us. Happy Travels

This would be an invaluable guide for someone traveling to Morocco. I have never been, and would have never known most of these things. Great how you added in so much advice from the local people. A very helpful, thorough and FANTASTIC post on traveling there!

Hi Sandy, thank you so much for your comments on our Morocco guide. It is made of things we learnt mostly from people who live there whilst we were travelling there so it is great to hear that is useful to travellers. We hope you get to travel to Morocco one day. Happy Travels